How Could Things Go So Wrong?
by HotchRocks
Summary: Alternate ending to Brothers In Arms. Suppose instead of Playboy shooting a cop killer outside the police station, his shot went wide and struck somebody else instead? How do those left behind cope with their unexpected loss? Warning:Character death.


**A/N: This alternate ending is to the episode Brothers In Arms from season four. I know JJ wasn't in this episode but for this alternate ending she is. I do not own CM or any of the characters. They are the property of the Mark Gordon Company, ABC Studios, and CBS Paramount Network Television.**

**How Could Things Go So Wrong?**

Morgan adjusted his sunglasses with one hand while his other was wrapped around Garcia's shoulders, hugging her close to him as tears streamed down her cheeks. She had tried wiping them away with her handkerchief but gave up after awhile. She rested her head on Morgan's shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably. _I'm gonna miss you, _she thought to herself.

Morgan couldn't believe what had happened. _Where had everything gone wrong?_ They had a cop killer now in the custody of the Phoenix, Arizona police department. He was being escorted out by police while members of the media and other members of the local police were there as well. Morgan wiped away the tears rolling down his checks with his free hand. _Everything had gone well so far. Nothing should have gone wrong. _He turned his stricken face and looked at the others gathered there. He noticed Police Commander Marks and Lieutenant Evans were in attendance; they had flown out from Phoenix to represent the Phoenix Police department and to pay their respects to the FBI agent who fell in their 'backyard' so to speak and they felt horrible. They felt they owed it to BAU and the FBI to be there.

JJ kept wiping her cheeks with her handkerchief which she held tightly in her hand. But new tears replaced the ones she wiped away faster than she wipe them away. Emily stood nearby with her hand over her mouth, sobbing into her hand. Rossi, looking at least ten years older, stood stoically near Prentiss with his hands clasped in front of him. He looked stunned at the sudden turn of events which brought them to this point. And then there was Reid. Poor Spencer. He looked so small and lost as he stood quietly to the side at the foot of the casket, his head bowed and arms hanging loosely at his sides as if he didn't know what to do with his hands. Occasionally he would lift his head and look at the clear blue sky and swallow the growing lump in his throat. That's when he saw the tears staining the young agent's cheeks. _Poor kid. _Morgan knew how much the kid worshiped their fallen comrade-in-arms.

_What will Spencer do without him? What will we all do without him?_

Not paying much attention to what the minister was saying, Morgan thought back to when things started going wrong.

_He stood outside the Phoenix police department and had just shaken hands with Lt. Evans when they both looked over and saw the gunman, hands cuffed behind him, being escorted in their direction. Hotch was busy talking with the Commander Marks oblivious to what was taking place. JJ, Prentiss and Reid were there as well talking amongst themselves. Nobody noticed the bald gang leader known as Playboy, approaching from behind the crowd further down. Morgan suddenly heard somebody yell "Playboy!" Turning, both he and the lieutenant grabbed their weapons and saw the leader of the gang known as the '12s' push his way through the crowd and pointed the pistol he held in his hand aiming at the gunman. _

_Panic broke out. People began screaming and running in all directions to both get away and out of the way. That's when it happened._

_Somebody reached for Playboy's arm and accidentally bumped it causing the shot to go wide before the gang leader was finally subdued by nearby cops and held after being relieved of his weapon; the cop killer stood, stunned at how close he had come to meeting his Maker. JJ, Reid, Rossi and Prentiss looked around, their weapons in hand, and both Morgan and Marks lowered their weapons and heaved a sigh of relief believing they had 'dodged a bullet' as the saying went when they saw Playboy had been subdued._

"_I need a doctor here!" somebody shouted frantically from behind them. "Now!" _

_Turning, Morgan and the lieutenant were stunned to see Hotch lying on the ground, unconscious, his weapon beside him and his head in a growing pool of blood with Marks kneeling beside him holding a handkerchief pressed against the side of his head trying to staunch the flow of blood._

"_HOTCH!" Morgan yelled as he holstered his weapon while running to his Unit Chief shouting over his shoulder for Evans to get a doctor. Prentiss and Rossi were already there. Prentiss was holding Hotch's hand begging him to hold on while Rossi undid his tie and shirt collar to help making breathing easier. Reid was comforting JJ by holding her against him as she cried. Kneeling beside his fallen friend Morgan could see he had been struck in the head just above the ear. Pressing two fingers against Hotch's throat, Morgan frantically tried to find a pulse. Finally, with a stricken look at the others, he hung his head sadly and allowed his tears to fall unashamedly as he realized Aaron Hotchner had died instantly._

Morgan?" somebody said softly. Coming out of his thoughts, he noticed Garcia looking at him with a tear-stained face.

"Yeah, baby girl. I was just thinking is all." He let out a deep breath as he noticed the others were each putting a white rose symbolizing honor and reverence on top of the casket. "I was just thinking how different things are gonna be without him."

"I know," Penelope said in a choked voice. "I won't be able to come into the bullpen and look up into his office anymore without expecting to see him there." They were soon joined by JJ, Rossi, Prentiss, Reid and Haley who held Jack's hand. If it hadn't been for the solemn occasion, four-year-old Jack would look very handsome in his dark suit and tie. The little boy kept wiping his cheeks with the back of his hand. Bending down, Morgan picked up Jack and hugged him tightly. They were soon joined by Marks and Evans.

"Hey little man, You all right?" Morgan asked Jack.

"I miss daddy," Jack said wiping his moist eyes. He looked so sad it nearly broke Morgan's heart. "Mommy said a bad man hurt daddy."

Morgan kissed Jack on the cheek and forced a grim smile to his own face. "We got the bad man who hurt your daddy, Jack. But now daddy is in heaven chasing all the bad guys up there."

"Will daddy catch the bad men?"

"You bet he will, little man. They won't get away from him." He then handed Jack back to Haley who, with tears cascading down her face, hugged her son tightly against her body. He was now the only thing she had left of Aaron's. She looked at Morgan, JJ, Garcia, Emily, Reid and Rossi and smiled through her tears. She then looked questioningly at the two strangers.

"Haley, this is Commander Marks and Lt. Evans of the Phoenix, Arizona police department," Rossi explained. He then introduced Haley and Jack. Both men smiled warmly at the new widow while Evans ran a hand over Jack's hair.

"We're very sorry for your loss, Mrs. Hotchner," Marks said gently. "Your husband was a fine man."

"Thank you," Haley said weakly forcing a smile to her face.

"If there's anything you or Jack need, Haley," Rossi told her. "Just call us; day or night. We'll be there. We owe it to Hotch."

"Thank you," Haley said her voice stammering. "Aaron loved each of you. You were like his other family." She swallowed hard and squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't know what we're going to do without him."

Morgan rustled Jack's hair. "Neither do we," he replied. "Excuse us for a minute."

Taking Garcia's hand, Morgan led her to the casket. Placing their roses with the others, Morgan let out a deep, deep breath. Garcia could only chew her lower lip.

"Goodbye, Aaron," he said softly staring at the casket. Garcia kissed her fingers and placed them against it.

_God, how could things have gone so wrong?_


End file.
